December Democratic debate venue switched to Loyola Marymount University

The December Democratic debate venue will be switched to Loyola Marymount University (LMU) after local labor officials raised concerns about its prior location at the University of California, Los Angeles. 

Politico, one of the organizations that is hosting the debate alongside PBS NewsHour, reported Saturday that the event will take place at the LMU’s Gersten Pavilion arena, which can hold 2,000 viewers. 

Six candidates have qualified so far for the debate. They are former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).  {mosads}

Democratic National Committee (DNC) senior adviser Mary Beth Cahill told The Hill in a statement this week that “we have asked our media partners to seek an alternative site for the December debate,” in response to concerns from the local organized labor community. 

HuffPost reported that the decision follows a letter sent to candidates from a chapter the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) asking them to boycott the event. 

In the letter, the AFSCME chapter reportedly accused the University of California of “illegal practices” including “allowing violence against members of union staff.”

“With regret, we have agreed to step aside as the site of the debate rather than become a potential distraction during this vitally important time in our country’s history,” UCLA told HuffPost in a statement.